BLOUNTVILLE — Just days before the Sullivan County election, Sheriff Wayne Anderson has issued apologies for a series of texts he sent to a corrections officer.

The messages were shared on Facebook by mayoral candidate Gerald Sensabaugh and given to him by the employee. Anderson’s texts include threats to fire anyone who votes for Jeff Cassidy, a former SCSO officer running against him in Thursday’s election. There are also derogatory comments about Cassidy — employees would “pee on his grave if he died” — and claims that “He and his Satan worshippers are spewing their evil from Hell on face book. I hate him!”

The corrections officer originally brought the texts to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which then shared them with Sullivan County District Attorney General Barry Staubus. After reviewing the materials with the TBI, Staubus says he determined there was no evidence of criminal activity and no action needed to be taken.

On Saturday, Anderson sent a message to local media outlets saying he was aware that Sensabaugh had posted the texts on Facebook.